Various slot gaming machines are known. Slot gaming machines generally include a plurality of reels. Each reel includes a plurality of symbols. The reels spin after a player places a wager on the game. The reels spin and then stop to display generated combinations of symbols on the reels. If a generated symbol or combination of symbols is a winning symbol or combination of symbols associated with an award, the player receives that award when the generated symbol or combination of symbols appears along an active payline associated with the reels or in a scatter pay. Certain players become frustrated if they “almost win an award” when the symbols necessary for a winning combination substantially appear on the reels but are missing a symbol or are not in the proper configuration or order to produce a winning combination.
One popular game feature which attempts to resolve such frustration in these situations and increase the player's award opportunities is a wild symbol. A wild symbol changes, replaces or functions as one of the symbols on one of the reels after the reels initially spin and stop. This enables the game to change a first or non-winning combination of symbols to a second and possibly winning combination of symbols (e.g., to make a winning combination or align a winning combination on an active payline). In other variations, the wild symbol may move or roam from one symbol position to another symbol position.
There is a continuing need for other ways of manipulating the position of wild symbols on the reels to create winning combinations on the reels. There is also a need for new and different games which employ reels.